San Francisco Frontiers - Editorial questions Letitia James’ record as New York attorney general

The editorial says James has repeatedly challenged President Donald Trump’s policies and personal interests, pointing to a series of recent releases on commercial driver’s licences, gun rights, mail voting, Title X funding and immigration enforcement. It also criticises her participation with other Democratic state attorneys general in high-profile litigation, including opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.

The newspaper contrasts that record with New York’s performance on Medicaid fraud enforcement. Citing a July Empire Center ranking, it says New York was second-worst nationally for prosecuting Medicaid fraud and last among the states and Washington, D.C., for indictments and convictions per billion dollars spent. New York spends $124 billion on Medicaid, and the editorial notes that federal officials have threatened funding for the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit overseen by James. It attributes to Health and Human Services Inspector General Thomas March Bell criticism that the unit has been ineffective in criminal cases involving fraud, abuse or neglect.

The editorial also recalls criticism from the Detectives’ Endowment Association in 2022, when the union said James had not made public safety a priority, and disputes her handling of a politically charged Brooklyn eviction described by Council member Chi Ossé as deed theft. These are the newspaper’s arguments and characterisations, not independent findings. James is seeking a third term in November.

N.Wilson--SFF